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Carcinus maenas : Green Crab

Carcinus maenas : Green Crab

Origin: Europe and regions in northern Africa.

Colonized areas: Coastal areas of North America, Australia and South Africa.

Method of colonization: Accidental introduction via ballast water and escapes (aquaculture installations).

Impacts: A voracious predator, the Green Crab is responsible for the decline of several species of bivalves and indigenous crabs. It involves significant costs for mussel breeding farms.

Rate of reproduction: In favourable conditions, a female can lay up to 185,000 eggs.

Obstacles to eradication: Difficulty of controlling method of colonization, absence of effective means of population control.

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